“The Fort” at Fort Wilkins

The Basics

If you want to camp in Copper Harbor, you’ve got two options, the state owned Fort Wilkins State Park, or the privately owned Lake Fanny Hooe Resort & Campground.

Both campgrounds offer modern camping with electricity, showers and more. I’ll focus on Fort Wilkins State Park for this post and will cover the Lake Fany Hooe Resort in another post.

Either place would be a great jumping off point for exploring Brockway Mountain, biking or kayaking with the Keweenaw Adventure Company, sampling some beer from Brickside Brewery, or taking advantage of the dozens of other cool things to do in the Keweenaw.

Fort Wilkins is a pretty cool campground because it’s part of the Fort Wilkins Historic Complex, a well maintained nineteenth century military outpost. Many of the fort’s buildings are open for exploration, complete with recreations of what life was like back when the fort was fully operational.

If you peruse the grounds and read the signs, you’ll learn the following:

1. The winters were harsh, and pretty much no one wanted to be there.
2. Many of the soldiers were immigrants.
3. One soldier was meant to be tried for “General Worthlessness” and “Habitual Drunkenness”, but he escaped. (Go figure.)

I laughed out loud at that last one.

And a Little More Detail…

Lake Fanny Hooe. Great for paddling or fishing.

The campground is situated on the north bank of Lake Fanny Hooe, a long, skinny (and deep) lake that’s just a few hundred yards inland from Lake Superior. It’s a great lake for paddling, or fishing if you’re so inclined.

Fort Wilkins also has a good sized playground for the kids, and some nice walking and biking paths around the campground. This is a super family friendly place. Heck, they even have on site laundry!

While there are a few campsites with some nice elbow room (site #10, for example), many of Fort Wilkins’ campsites are packed together like sardines. When my wife and I visited there early this summer, the campground was only at about twenty or thirty percent capacity, which meant that everyone had plenty of room. Breathing room is good!

However, if you’re there during the peak of summer when they’re closer to full capacity, I can easily imagine being woken up by the sound of some guy snoring in his tent the next site over. If you’re a light sleeper, bring earplugs.

I’m told that they always fill up Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend, and they’re often nearly full most weekends of the summer.

I should also note that Fort Wilkins has two “loops.” The “east loop” is a little more open and the “west loop” has more trees between campsites. Also, the west loop currently has Wi-Fi. Most of the sites in both loops are close together, but hey, if you’re camping in Copper Harbor, life is good!

Here’s one small section of the “West Loop” campground

All in all, I’m sure we’ll camp here again, but next time I’ll try to get camp site #10 or one closer to the water. Next time we’ll also bring the kayaks!

In Summary

Bottom line: Fort Wilkins Historic State Park is a unique place to camp and a great base for exploring Copper Harbor. However, the camp sites are really packed in there.

Address: 15223 U. S. Highway 41 Copper Harbor, MI 49918

Phone: (906) 289-4215

Other Things to Note: There’s an excellent beginners bike trail (The “Fanny Hooe Trail”) that connects Fort Wilkins to Copper Harbor. It’s pretty short and a great way to get to and from “town” if you don’t want to drive.  Two cabins are also available for rent within the park.

To view more photos of Fort Wilkins Historic State Park and Campground, click here to visit my Facebook page and browse to the “Fort Wilkins State Park” album.

Our campsite at Hurricane River.

There are three drive-in campgrounds within the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Litter Beaver Lake Campground, Twelvemile Beach Campground, and Hurricane River Campground.

So far I’ve only camped at Hurricane River, so that’s what I’ll be writing about here. More to come about Twelvemile Beach and Little Beaver Lake in future posts!

I also should note that there are a bunch of state forest campgrounds in the general vicinity of Pictured Rocks, and several awesome “hike-in” backcountry campgrounds within the lakeshore, so you’ve got lots of options.

But for now, let’s talk about Hurricane River.

My stepson and I camped at Hurrcane River this spring and had a great time. It was his first time camping, so I wanted to pick a place with lots of stuff to do, and the Pictured Rocks area did not disappoint.

There are actually two sections to the Hurricane River Campground: the Upper Loop and the Lower Loop. Both are rustic, with no electricity or running water available.

The lower section is nestled next to the mouth of the Hurricane River and it hugs Lake Superior, while the upper section (just a few hundred yards away) is up on a bit of a bluff. I wanted easy access to the water, so we picked the lower campground.

As with most of the Pictured Rocks campgrounds, during peak summer season this campground is often full. However, when my stepson and I pulled in the weekend before Memorial Day, I’d guess it was only at about ten percent capacity.

The Hurricane River, pouring into Lake Superior.

We had our pick of the sites when we arrived Friday morning, and by Saturday evening only a few more people had trickled in.

Hurricane River Campground served us well. The trailhead for the trail to the Au Sable Lighthouse starts right at the Lower Hurricane River campground, so we took advantage of that and had a nice little hike.

My stepson had fun playing in the river and lake, and we both enjoyed checking out the shipwreck debris scattered along the shore. Yes, there’s a shipwreck right on the beach, about seventy steps from where we camped! How cool is that?

Hurricane River also served as a great base for all of our Pictured Rocks explorations since it’s roughly in the middle of the park. (I say “roughly” because it’s closer to Grand Marais than it is to Munising.)

We spent one day in and around Munising, where we visited Horseshoe Falls, Tannery Falls and one of the local beaches.

The next day we headed east to Grand Marais, visited Log Slide, the Grand Marais beach and then popped into the Lake Superior Brewing Co for some killer pizza and popcorn. And on our way out, we hiked to Chapel falls before heading home to Iron Mountain.

The steam Jarecki, which ran aground on July 4th 1882. This is just a few steps from the campground!

All in all, it was a great trip and Hurricane River ended up being a great home base. Next time I “car camp” at Pictured Rocks it’ll be at Twelvemile beach, though, because as I understand it many of the campsites have views of the beach right from the site, which is something we didn’t have at Hurricane River.

Bottom line: Hurricane River Campground is a great, family friendly campground that’s right on the water. However, a small section of trees block the view of the lake, so a short walk (about fifty yards) is necessary to get to the beach.

How to get there? The Hurricane River is located 12 miles west of Grand Marais on H-58.

To view more photos of Hurricane River, click here to visit my Facebook page and browse to the “Hurricane River” album.

And for a nice photo gallery that shows each campsite, click here.

The Company Store

Fayette historic state park is truly something to behold. Once a bustling company town at the tip of the Garden Peninsula, the well-preserved buildings have now been standing for nearly 150 years, and it’s a wonderful place to spend an afternoon.

After the iron operation that created the town shut down in the late 1800’s, Fayette passed through several phases before being snatched up by the State of Michigan and turned into an awesome state park. The park rests on one of the most scenic parts of Lake Michigan’s shoreline (think huge limestone bluffs and rocky beaches) and there’s a nice campground right there for those who wish to stay a while. It’s one of the finer points of the Upper Peninsula.

And if you’re hungry (or thirsty) while in the area, Sherry’s Port Bar is a neat little family friendly spot for a meal or a beer. I’ve heard they have a good all-you-can-eat whitefish fish fry on Friday’s during the summer season, and it’s within walking distance of the Fayette campground.

My wife and I drove over to Fayette with our daughter this summer. It was only my second visit to the place, the first being a sixth grade field trip over twenty years ago, so my memories of the place were a little fuzzy. Fond, but fuzzy. So here’s how it went down…

Limestone Bluff at Fayette

We breezed through the admissions area (thanks to our Michigan recreation passport), parked in a spacious parking lot and made our way down a little hill into the main welcome center. Guided tours go out every half hour, I was told, and the next one would be starting in about five minutes.

A few minutes later, we were being led through the town by an enthusiastic college student who seemed to have a pretty comprehensive knowledge of the place. She was super friendly and gave a short but informative tour that ran through the entire history of the town, from it’s beginnings in 1867 as a company town to it’s present date status as a state park.

After the tour we were free to roam about the town on our own. We spent an hour or so poking our noses into well marked historic buildings and reading interpretive signs about the town’s past, but could have just as easily spent half a day here. There’s a scenic overlook trail, a souvenir shop that sells ice cream, and plenty of open space near the harbor that would be a great place for a picnic, tossing Frisbee around or just hanging out for a while.

The Company Hotel

We had packed a lunch but left it in our car, so we ended up dining at a picnic table alongside the parking lot. Next time we’ll definitely bring our lunch down near the water. Also on our next visit, we’ll probably try to allow a whole day just for the Garden Peninsula. In addition to Fayette, there are art galleries, wineries and a cool little harbor at the very tip of the peninsula (More write ups on all of this to come) so it’d be easy to blow a day here and enjoy every minute of it.

Want to see more photos of Fayette? (Including shots from the scenic overlook trail) Click here to visit my Facebook page then browse to the “Fayette Historic Ghost Town” album. (You’ll need to “like” the page if you haven’t already.)

Bottom Line: The historic ghost town of Fayette is definitely one of my “must see” things in the U.P. It’s cool even if you’re not a history geek, trust me. And the scenery is awesome.

Other things to note: Open daily 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. mid-May through mid-June and Labor Day through mid-October; 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. mid-June through Labor Day. And it looks like some of the trails are available for cross country skiing in the winter.

Location: To see Fayette’s Location on my Map of the Upper Peninsula, click here.

Websites:

U.P. Travel’s Fayette Page

Fayette State Park Page

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The Teddy Lake Yurt in Craig Lake State Park

The Teddy Lake Yurt is buried deep within Craig Lake State Park, the park billed as “Michigan’s most remote state park.” If you seek solitude, a quiet spot for a family retreat, or a romantic weekend away, the Teddy Lake Yurt would be a good bet.

Now, lets talk about the road into Craig Lake State Park. And I’ll give you the standard warning here, I grew up driving on country roads, many of which were dirt and gravel, so my definition of a “good road” may very well differ from yours.

All the guidebooks I’ve read warn to navigate this road only with “high ground clearance vehicles.” There’s even a sign at the beginning of the road that issues the same caution.

Well, I’m here to tell you I think the road is just fine. If you don’t have a high ground clearance vehicle there are a handful of rocks you’ll want to steer around and a few bumpy stretches where you’ll need to slow down. But overall, it appears that the road has been much improved! It is a little bumpy in spots, so just drive slowly and carefully. And if you don’t have four wheel drive, I’d stick to the summer season only.

Most of the road in looks like this. It’s dirt and gravel but in great shape for a rustic road.

And as far as markings go, the actual turnoff Nelligan Road from US41 could be a little more blatantly marked, but after that you’ve got a road sign at every major split in the road directing you toward your destination.

About the Yurt

Now, about that yurt.

The Teddy Lake Yurt is about 7 miles in from US41. After reserving the Yurt through the DNR website, you’ll stop at Van Riper State Park to get the key to the yurt. And after that, you’re about a half hour drive from total solitude.

You can drive almost all the way to the Teddy Lake Yurt. A gate stops you about 200 yards away and you’ll need to haul your gear in from there.

It’s a short and pleasant walk from the parking area to the yurt. Some people bring wheeled carts to haul in their gear, but we just carried it in and brought all of the same stuff we typically bring when “car camping.” Had we stayed at the small cabin or large cabin on Craig Lake, we would have packed lighter.

The Yurt is the only structure on Teddy Lake. And though camping is allowed anywhere in Craig Lake State Park, there are no campsites on Teddy Lake that I could spot. Which means it’s highly likely that you’ll have the entire lake to yourself.

Two sets of twin bunk beds, a wood stove and decent sized table accommodate up to four people.

As far as furnishings go, the Yurt has two sets of bunk beds, a woodstove, and a dining table. It also has a well stocked “chuckwagon” on the deck that contains a Coleman two burner propane stove (bring your own propane), cookware, a coffee maker, and other odds and ends previous visitors have left behind.

The widows of the yurt are screens sheathed by clear plastic from the outside. The weather was pretty cool when we were there, but in the summer you could roll up all the plastic window coverings and pop open the dome on top for excellent ventilation. In the winter, you could button everything up and stay toasty warm by lighting a fire in the woodstove. (If you go in winter you’ll have to hike or snowmobile in.)

My Dad and I didn’t spend much time on Teddy Lake because the weather ended up getting kind of cold and crappy, but we did get out in the nice rowboat (provided) for a short ride before the wind kicked up. Teddy Lake isn’t as scenic as Craig Lake or Lake Keewaydin in my opinion, but it’s very nice nonetheless. You’ll find mostly pan fish in this lake according to the Michigan DNR, and according to the log book in the yurt the fishing isn’t always terrific. But hey, you’ve got a whole lake to yourself!

This rowboat comes with the yurt.

“What are you doing this weekend?” your friends will ask.
“Staying in a cool yurt on a private lake,” you’ll say as they turn envious.

To view more photos of the Teddy Lake Yurt (many more), click here to visit my Facebook page and browse to the “Teddy Lake Yurt” album. (You’ll need to “like” the page if you haven’t already)

Bottom Line: The Teddy Lake Yurt in Craig Lake State Park is a terrific place for a quiet getaway.

Other things to note: Make your reservations very, very early for choice summer weekends. Though well equipped, there is no electricity at the yurt, so bring a lantern and flashlights.

How to get there: About 6.5 miles west of Van Riper State Park, make a right onto Negallin Road and follow the signs from there.

Website: http://www.michigan.gov/craiglake

Choice campsites abound.

Blind Sucker #2 Campground

You’ve got to camp at Blind Sucker #2 campground sometime just for the name. But beyond the humorous title bestowed upon it, this little rustic campground is a pretty cool place to pitch a tent.

You’ll drive on gravel for a few miles to get there, but hey, this is the Upper Peninsula… some of the most scenic vistas and tucked away campgrounds require you to get your car a little dirty. And if you’re looking to explore both Pictured Rocks and Tahquomenon Falls while in the U.P., this region is sort of the middle ground.

The scenic thirty two site campground is situated on the Blind Sucker Flooding, across the road from the larger (and busier) Muskellonge Lake State campground.

This was the edge of our campsite.

You’ll find shady waterfront camping here, and decent fishing, but swimming is questionable. My wife and I were ready to jump in and cool off when the camp host approached us with a warning.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he said. “Them leeches are baaaaad right now!”

Deflated, we turned back to our tent. But then we realized, hey, Lake Superior is RIGHT HERE!

Yes, just across the road from Blind Sucker #2 lay the largest body of freshwater in the world. And I can almost guarantee that the leeches won’t bother you there. And because there aren’t tons of people in this area you’ll likely have a large swath of shoreline to yourself.

We sure did.

We had a refreshing bath in the big lake and then returned to our cozy little waterfront campsite. I fired up the grill and my wife lounged in our hammock while the sunset. Ah, bliss.

It doesn't get much better than this!

We had first checked out Blind Sucker #1 campground, and then Lake Superior Campground, but both were full. We thought we were doomed until we rolled into Blind Sucker #2 and happily found several waterfront sites available. (And this was later on a Friday afternoon in peak season, mind you.)

This campground is also sheltered from the chilly breezes you’ll often get at the campgrounds on the Lake Superior shore. So that’s a plus.

To view more photos of the Blind Sucker #2 Campground, click here to visit my Facebook Page and then browse to the “Blind Sucker #2″ photo album. (You’ll need to like the page if you haven’t already)

Bottom Line: Blind Sucker #2 State Campground is a great little rustic campground that deserves your attention. Pitch a tent a just inches from the water, light a campfire and relax.

Other things to note: Camping here is about $15/night. And this is a rustic campsite so there are no showers. BUT, you can skip over to the Muskallonge Lake state campground across the road and take a shower for $1.50.

How to get there: About 13 miles east of Grand Marais you’ll see a sign for Blind Sucker #1, Blind Sucker #2 is not far after that. It’s across the road from Muskallonge State Park.

Website: www.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?id=670&type=SFCG

To see Blind Sucker #2’s location on my map of the U.P., click here.

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